NEW mum Lisa Harding was told that she would have to leave the Royal United Hospital in Bath just a few hours after giving birth because of a bed shortage.

Mrs Harding, 33, was transferred from Devizes Maternity Unit to the RUH when difficulties arose during her labour.

She gave birth to daughter Lauren at 2.45am on April 6 and when she went on to a ward at 5am she was told that her bed would be needed just a few hours later. After being assessed as fit to leave she and Lauren left at lunchtime and returned to Devizes for post natal care.

Mrs Harding, who lives with husband Mark in Potterne, said: "The staff said they had a busy day ahead and they needed my bed.

"There were four other women on the ward who were asked if they could leave at the same time as me. It didn't worry me at all, I was quite happy to return to Devizes, but what if Devizes had been closed where would I and other women and their babies have gone?"

Lauren suffered jaundice and it took a few days for Mrs Harding to breastfeed.

Mrs Harding, who runs a livery yard, said: "There was no way I would have gone home if Devizes Maternity Unit wasn't here. The breastfeeding was really hard at first because Lauren was poorly in the beginning but thanks to the staff I did it. If it wasn't for their support and encouragement Lauren would be bottle fed.

"As Lauren is my first baby the staff showed us how to feed and bathe her."

Her husband, who is an electrical project engineer, said: "The staff at the RUH are good at what they do but they haven't got the after-care available. It was like a conveyor belt there."

The couple said over the Easter weekend the Devizes maternity unit staff worked extra shifts to cover staff shortages.

Mrs Harding said: "The unit is running on minimum staff and they are working extra shifts to make sure the place is open.

"They are so dedicated, it's not just a job to them. One midwife was due to finish at 4pm but she came to the RUH with me. There was another lady in labour at Devizes and another midwife was due to go home but she stayed."

Mr Harding added: "If they hadn't worked the extra shifts over the Easter weekend we understand that the management would have closed the unit."

The Hardings told their experience to Devizes MP Michael Ancram who visited Devizes Maternity Unit last Wednesday.

Mr Ancram is fighting the Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust's proposals to close Devizes and transfer women to Trowbridge and Chippenham maternity units. The trust is also planning to close Malmesbury maternity unit and transfer women to Chippenham.

Mr Ancram said: "The visit confirmed my belief that this is a unit that must remain. It provides a very important service locally and is an important part of the community.